What’s behind our name?

Many of our regulars were intrigued to understand how we got to our name Flotsam & Jetsam. Children of the ’80s and ’90s immediately think of The Little Mermaid and the evil eel minions of the sea witch Ursula! As much as we love Ariel, our name has a different hidden meaning than one of Disney’s greats…

When creating a brand name, we wanted something memorable that would spark a little bit of intrigue and plenty of conversation too. The phrase ‘flotsam and jetsam’ is often used to describe ‘odds and ends,’ each word bears a nautical meaning too.

Flotsam is defined as bits and bobs found floating in the sea, normally from a shipwreck. Jetsam on the other hand describes debris deliberately thrown overboard to lighten a ship’s load.

As an antipodean café, our name is a touchstone to our South Pacific heritage. And like the flotsam and jetsam between here and the Antipodies, we want visitors to feel like each visit might be met with fresh discoveries. It’s a home-away-from home for our regulars, coffee lovers and friends.

Fortunately, we’re here to offer you a taste of the Antipodes (without the mammoth voyage). Come visit! We’ll have plenty of delicious coffee, tasty teas and seasonally fresh food waiting for you.